Steven Furtick's Blog, page 43

The Proper Weight to Give the Words of Others

It’s true; we can’t please everybody, all the time. But what should our response be to the negative opinions of others? How should we respond to the disapproving words of the people around us? And how much weight should they hold in our lives? In this clip from our series, The Expectation Gap, Pastor Steven teaches us the proper position to take when the opinions and objections of others get between us and who Jesus has called us to be.

How to Keep Your Passions From Burning You Up

God put sexual and emotional desire in all of us. Yet many of us still struggle to control these passions and we make impulsive choices and regretful compromises. How do we channel our desires for love and intimacy, without falling for the quick fixes all around us? In part two of our series Meant to Be, Pastor Steven explains that our unchecked passions can lead to brokenness, but through Jesus Christ, we can overpower our misguided infatuation with a life-changing passion for God.

What We Get Wrong About God’s Commands

As Christians, we want to follow God’s commands. But most of us find that even if we manage keep our actions pure, we still struggle with our thoughts or intentions. So, why, if Jesus calls us to be holy, is it so hard to be holy? In this clip from our series Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf, Pastor Steven uses the story of the woman at the well to help us understand the overwhelming gift of God’s grace, and the true purpose behind His commands for our lives.

The Real Reason Behind Your Relationship Status

Single people dream of being married. Married people fantasize about being single. The truth is, most of us like the idea of being in a relationship more than the reality of what it takes to make it work. And, when we look to other people to satisfy our deepest desires, we end up disappointed. In part 1 of our series Meant To Be, Pastor Steven explains that, while singleness and marriage are both gifts, we often misunderstand what God ultimately wants to give us through our relationships – His grace.

Meant to Be

When it comes to seeking advice about relationships, marriage, and sex, we tend to look in all the wrong places. Everywhere we turn, we’re promised pleasure and happiness, but we’re left feeling hurt and empty. The world claims to have the answers, but maybe we’ve been asking the wrong questions all along. In our series Meant to Be, we’ll have open conversations and uncover the Bible’s best kept secrets about sex, marriage, and being single. Meant to Be begins August 23.

Elevation Creative: Confessions of a Teenager

Ever wonder what’s really going on in the heads of teenagers? Behind those perfectly cropped smiles and those self-confident poses? In this confessional-style documentary video from our Creative team, we hear from a few of our students about the truth that lies behind those #selfies.

The Best Thing To Do In A Difficult Season

Just because the Bible says God works all things together for our good, does not mean everything feels good all the time. But it’s often our times of greatest struggle that we can gain the most strength and increase our faith. In the final part of our series #DeathtoSelfie, Pastor Steven uses the story of Jacob renaming his son Benjamin to show us that, though there are circumstances in our lives we didn’t choose to go through, God has given us the rights to call any circumstance a blessing in His name.

Living a Life of Privilege

At some point, we all start to question who we are, and what our place is in this world. We know, from the Bible, that we are God’s children, made in His image. But how does that relate to our day-to-day life? In this sermon clip from Week 1 of our series I Know He Is, But What Am I, Pastor Steven teaches that in order to understand our purpose and the plans God has for us, we first have to consider who He is, and what it means that we are called the righteousness of God.

Student Takeover 2014

Student Takeover 2014 was unlike any Student Takeover in the past. This year, over 900 eStudents across all our Elevation locations closed out the summer by coming together for three full days of worship, teaching, and fun at our first ever Student Takeover Camp.

The Unexpected Blessings of Disappointment and Rejection

In life, what we see on the outside doesn’t always match up with what’s happening on the inside. We long for acceptance and achievement, but we look in all the wrong places to find them, leaving us disappointed and rejected. How do we find purpose in these frustrations? And how can God use us in spite of our misguided priorities? In part four of our sermon series #DeathtoSelfie, Pastor Steven focuses on the story of Jacob’s wives – two very different sisters struggling with the very same things, to show us how God can take our pain of rejection and disappointment and turn them into unexpected blessings for His glory.